Guide and ball flush valve



1957' A. w. HARKNESS GUIDE AND BALL FLUSH VALVE Filed Nov 5, 1953 v Andrew W Her/mess INVENTOR.

. BY (M19 United States Patent GUIDE AND BALL FLUSH VALVE Andrew W. Harkness, South Glens Falls, N. Application November 5, .1953, Serial No. 390,295

3 Claims. (Cl. '4--57) This invention relates to an improved guide and ball flush valve for use in .aflush tank having a vertical overflow pipe, a discharge opening, a drain opening .and a valve seat .for closing the discharge opening.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved guide and ball flush valve having a flexible lifting line for easy attachment to the lift arm in the flush tank and includes easily attachable support means for attaching the guide to the vertical overflow pipe.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved guide and ball flush valve having a novel attaching means between the ball valve and the lifting member, and having .a novel meansfor attaching the guide to the vertical overflow pipe.

A further object of this invention is to provide .an improved guide and ball flush valve wherein the guide .is constructed of a skeletonized cagetlike member for .permitting vertical movement of the ball valve, discharge of the water and preventing the ball valve from becoming misaligned with the valve seat.

Yet another object of this invention .is .to provide an improved ball flush valve and guide therefor wherein the guide is positioned a predetermined distance above .the valve seat and permits the ball valve to be raised a predetermined distance away from the valve seat.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved guide and ball flush valve which is .simple in construction, easy to assemble, maintain and repair, accurate and long wearing in construction and constructed of readily obtainable material, thereby .enhancing the economic feasibility of the device.

These together withother objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the .details of construction .and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings torrninga part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure .1 is a side elevational view showing a portion of the flush tank broken away .and the improved guide and ball flush valve of this invention mounted in operative position on the vertical overflow pipe;

Figure 2 is a perspective detail view showing one form of the improved guide and its supporting means;

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical section, taken substantially through the center line of the ball flush valve showing the novel attaching means of the flexible lift line to the ball flush valve; and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the improved guide and a modified form of support or attaching means for mounting the improved guide on the vertical overflow pipe.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral generally designates the improved guide, and the numeral 12 generally indicates the improved ball flush valve used in conjunction with the guide of this invention. The guide 10 is secured to a vertical overflow pipe 14 mounted in the usual flush tank 16. A swingable lift arm 18 having longitudinally spaced apertures 26 at one end thereof is secured to the usual 2,777,133 Patented Jan. 15,, 1957 lifting lever on the outside of the .flush tank. As shown in :Figure .1, the water 22 in the flush tank 16 will be discharged through the valve seat member 24 when .the ball valve 12 is removed from the valve seat, and it will be seen that the overflow pipe is rigidly connected to the discharge opening by the transverse portion generally indicated by the numeral 26 and it will be understood that a passage is in communication with the pipe 14 wherein any overflow may be discharged through the discharge opening 24.

Referring now in detail to Figure .2, it will be seen that the improved valve guide of this invention generally denoted by the numeral .10 includes a pair of elongated side members 28 and 30 with the side member 30 being longer than the member 28 for a purpose described .hereinafter. A pair of vertically spaced circular rings v32 are secured to the elongated members 28 and 30 by suitable fastening means such as rivets 34 andthe lowermost of the circular rings 32 .is .flush with the .lower end of the elon gated member 28, and the elongated member 30 has a portion indicated by the numeral 36 projecting below the lowermost circular ring 32. An uppermost ring 38 is secured to the upper ends of the elongated members 28 and 30 by fastening means 34 and the upper end of the elongated members 28 and 30 are substantially 'flush with i the upper edge of the ring 38. The uppermost ring 38 is generally oval in shape and the minor diameter or axis of the oval shaped ring 38 is .less than the diameter of the circular rings 32 for apurpose described hereinafter. .A pair of vertically spaced supporting loops 40 encircle the elongated member 30 and each of the loops 40 are constructed of a coil of wire having the coils thereof in adjacent relation and longitudinally .aligned substantially in the nature of a coil. One .free end of each of the wire members 40 includes a projecting eye 42 vforming a finger abutting member for imparting a tangential force to the coils of :the wire member thereby increasing the inside diameter of the .loops 40. It will be understood that by pressing against the eye members 42 the wire loops 40 may be slipped over the vertical overflow pipe ,14 and upon release of theeye members 42 the resilient nature of the wire loops will contract the wire loops, thereby decreasing the diameter and frictionally engaging the overflow pipe 14. As seen in Figure 1, when the valve guide 10 is mounted upon the overflow pipe :14, the extending portion 36 of the elongatedmember 30 engages the upper surface of the transverse member 26, thereby spacing the lower circular ring v32 .a predetermined distance from the discharge opening 24 and the valve seat thereon.

Referring now specifically to Figures :1 and 3, it will be seen that the ball flush valve is generally spherical in shape and a flexible lift chain 44 having a corkscrew end portion 46 is embedded or inserted-in the ball flush valve 12 .and a flexible member 48 extends from the chain portion 44 and includes a bendable portion 50 for .return bending upon itself and looping in the nature of a wire splice. It will be noted that the corkscrew portion 46 inserts only partially through the ball valve 12 and the ball valve 12 may be made of any suitable buoyant rubber or rubber-like material having long wearing characteristics.

Referring now specifically to Figure 4, it will be seen that the elongated member 30 is attached to the overflow pipe 14 by two elongated coil springs 52 having hooked end portions 54 which are detachable from each other in an obvious manner. Obviously, the elongated members placed alongside the pipe 14 and the elongated coil springs 52 are positioned around the member 30 and the pipe 14 and the hook portions 54 are engaged with each other wherein the resiliency of the springs 52 will maintain the elongated member 31) in position against the pipe 14 regardless of the size of the overflow pipe 14.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. The valve guide is positioned on the vertical overflow pipe 14 by expanding the wire loops 40 with pressure on the eye members 42 and the ball flush valve is positioned on the valve seat in the discharge opening 24 and the circular rings 32 are aligned with the discharge opening 24 in an obvious manner. The flexible line 44 is then secured to the lift arm 18 by inserting the upper portion 48 through the aperture 20 which is directly above the center of the discharge opening 24 and looped around itself generally, as shown in Figure 1 by the numeral 50. The valve 12 may be lifted from the valve seat on the discharge opening 24 by manipulating the lift arm 18 by the lift lever (not shown) on the outside of the flush tank 16 in an obvious manner. It will be seen that the guide 10 guides the ball valve 12 in a vertical position and maintains the valve 12 directly over the discharge opening 24 wherein the valve 12 will reengage the discharge opening 24 when the water level 22 falls to a relatively low level. It will be seen that the oval shaped ring 38 at the upper end of the guide 10 prevent the ball valve 12 from becoming disengaged from the guide 10, either due to the buoyant action of the wateron the rubber valve 12 or due to the action of the lift arm 18. It will be noted that the corkscrew portion 46 provides a secure attachment for the flexible member 44 to the ball valve 12 and the corkscrew portion 46 does not extend completely through the ball valve, thereby precluding any possible leaking around this attachment. As shown in Figure 4, the elongated member 36 may be secured to the vertical pipe 14 by utilizing the elongated flexible coil springs 52, by encircling the pipe 14 and the elongated member and engaging the hooked end portions 54 in an obvious manner. The round ball valve may be constructed of any suitable sponge rubber, or rubber-like material and the particular size will be determined by the individual needs. The valve guide 10 and the lift wire and chain are all constructed of a rust-proof and non-corrosive substance such as brass or the like, and the spring ring loops 40 and the coil springs 52 are also constructed of the corrosion-resistant material thereby enchancing the longevity of the device and also providing a device which will be readily removed as may become necessary in repair or replacing of various parts of the installation such as the ball valve or the discharge opening. The particular guide and ball of this invention assures that the ball valve will at all times remain in vertical alignment with the valve seat, wherein the water in the flush tank will be quickly, efficiently and efiectively shut ofli when the water has reached a predetermined lower, level.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A ball valve guide comprising a pair of elongated members, a plurality of longitudinally spaced rings secured to said members, and a pair of longitudinally spaced supporting means positioned on one of said elongated members, said one of said elongated members projecting below the other of said members, the uppermost of said rings being generally oval shaped and having a minor axis of less length than the diameter of the other rings for limiting upward movement of a ball valve in a flush tank.

2. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said supporting means includes a circular spiral wire coiled loop with the coils thereof substantially in contact with each other, and a laterally projecting eye member on one end of said wire, said loop encircling and attached to one of said elongated members and adapted to be positioned over an overflow pipe, said wire being resilient and expansible to receive the pipe when tangential pressure is applied against the eye member thereby expanding the internal diameter of the coiled loop.

3. In combination, a flush tank valve having a discharge opening with an upwardly facing valve seat, an upstanding overflow pipe, a horizontally disposed transverse portion interconnecting the opening and the overflow pipe, a freely movable ball valve removably disposed on the valve seat, a flexible lift member for the ball valve, and a guide for the ball valve, said guide including a plurality of vertically disposed members with one of said members extending below the other for engagement with the upper surface of the transverse portion of the flush tank valve, a plurality of vertically spaced rings attached to said vertical members thereby forming an open frame in surrounding relation to the ball valve to permit free flow of water into the interior of the frame at various water levels, the lowermost ring being disposed at the lower end of the other member whereby the extending vertical member retains the lowermost ring in spaced relation to the valve seat to permit unobstructed flow of water into the opening and to prevent lateral movement of the ball valve, means for detachably supporting the one vertical member on the overflow pipe, the uppermost of said rings being oval-shaped and having an etfective diameter less than the diameter of the ball valve thereby limiting the upward movement of ball valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

